A user has numerous wireless devices for accessing and processing information. For example, a user may have a cellular telephone for communicating with others, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”) for storing contact information, a laptop computer for storing and processing files, a digital camera for obtaining images and a pager for being contacted. Each one of these devices also may access remote information on a private or public network, such as the Internet. However, this system suffers from several disadvantages.
First, typically only a single device originates and can access the Internet at a time.
Second, Internet protocol (“IP”) addresses are held while connected to the Internet. This can be expensive and use scarce IP address resources.
Third, each device requires its own security management, such as a Virtual Private Network (“VPN”) and firewall software component.
Fourth, there is no ability to share, add to or manage the services of the numerous wireless devices. In particular, there is no communication between wireless devices. If a user obtains a wireless device having an additional service, such as extra persistence storage, other wireless devices typically are not capable of using the extra persistence storage.
Bluetooth™ technology (www.bluetooth.com) provides wireless communications between devices. Yet, Bluetooth™ technology also suffers from many disadvantages. Bluetooth™ technology does not allow for a “plug and play” capability at a wireless device application level. In other words, a wireless device cannot merely be turned on and Bluetooth™ technology recognizes it and establishes a communication protocol. If a user desires a wireless device to communicate with a Bluetooth™ technology device, the added wireless device must have software drivers and applications loaded to operate. Otherwise, the Bluetooth™ technology device is not able to communicate with the newly added wireless device. This makes it difficult to add new functionality or types of wireless devices. Bluetooth™ technology does not provide an open environment for software programmers to provide application software components for wireless devices. Further, Bluetooth™ technology does not allow devices to share information and resources at an application level.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a system of wireless devices which can effectively communicate with each other and access information on the Internet. The system of wireless devices should efficiently use IP resources and security management. The wireless devices should effectively share and manage services and allow for seamless plug and play capability. The system should allow for new functionality and types of wireless devices.